Five rockets fired from Iraq to US military base in Syria: Officials - India Today

Five rockets fired from Iraq towards US military base in Syria: Officials

Rockets were launched from Iraq's Zummar towards a US military base in northeastern Syria, a day after Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani's return from the US.

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This was the first attack on US troops since early February. (Representational image: Reuters)
This was the first attack on US troops since early February. (Representational image: Reuters)

In Short

  • Five rockets launched from Iraq's Zummar targeting US base in Syria
  • Attack followed Iraqi PM's US visit and meeting with President Biden
  • It comes a day after a huge blast at a military base in Iraq

At least five rockets were launched from Iraq's town of Zummar towards a US military base in northeastern Syria on Sunday, two Iraqi security sources told Reuters.

The attack against US forces is the first since early February when Iranian-backed groups in Iraq stopped their attacks against US troops.

The attack comes one day after Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani returned from a visit to the United States and met with President Joe Biden at the White House.

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Two security sources and a senior army officer said a rocket launcher fixed on the back of a small truck had been parked in Zummar border town with Syria.

The military official said the truck caught fire with an explosion from unfired rockets at the same time as warplanes were in the sky.

"We can't confirm that the truck was bombed by US warplanes unless we investigate it," said a military official on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the incident.

Iraqi security forces were deployed in the area and launched a hunt for the perpetrators who fled the area using another vehicle, said a security official who is based in the town of Zummar.

An army officer said the truck was seized for further investigation and initial investigation shows that it was destroyed by an air strike.

"We are communicating with the coalition forces in Iraq to share information on this attack," the officer added.

The attacks came one day after a huge blast at a military base in Iraq early on Saturday killed a member of an Iraqi security force that includes Iran-backed groups. The force commander said it was an attack while the army said it was investigating and there were no warplanes in the sky at the time.

Published By:
Ajmal
Published On:
Apr 22, 2024